The present invention relates to a device for supporting an injured arm in a variety of positions from a horizontal, sling position to a vertical, elevated position.
There is a need by a patient with an injured hand, arm, or shoulder, especially by the hand surgery patient, for a single support that will function properly in the normal arm sling position, the Velpeau position, and also in the elevated arm position. The normal arm sling position, in which the lower arm is substantially horizontal to the ground and the upper portion of the arm is substantially vertical to the ground, is required to provide support and limited protection to the hand, arm or shoulder during various daily activities. The Velpeau position, in which the lower portion of the arm extends diagonally across the chest of the patient and the upper portion of the arm extends at an acute angle towards the center of the body, is often used in clavicle fractures and is required to help control edema which follows surgery or specific injury to the hand or lower arm.
The elevated position is one in which the hand of the supported arm is even with the head or above the level of the head; and the body of the patient is usually in either a sitting or reclining position. The forearm in the elevated position is substantially vertical. The elevated position also differs from the sling positions in that the arm is supported from a mechanical support member separate from the patient's body.
Often these types of patients are victims of a crippling disease in both hands and have limited or very little use of the hand not in the sling. Therefore, it is critical that the support can easily be changed from the sling mode to the elevated mode and vice-versa by a hand with very limited dexterity.
Although various slings have been known in the prior art, they are all subject to numerous disadvantages. Thus, some prior art slings comprise a flexible envelope with a shoulder strap attached thereto. Usually, one end of the strap is adjustable so that the length of the strap can be modified to suit the patient. However, such slings are generally designed for and usable for a specific one of the positions needed for arm support. Thus, one form of sling can be used for horizontal or diagonal sling support and a completely different article, differently constructed, is used for vertical elevated support. Thus, if one patient requires support of two different types under different circumstances, at successive stages of recovery, or at different times of the day, more than one type of sling or arm elevator is generally necessary.
Moreover, while straps on the prior art slings have been variable in length, they have usually included a buckle which is very hard to manipulate, especially if the patient's other hand or arm is somewhat injured or of limited dexterity.
In addition, many of the prior art slings require lifting of the strap over the head of the user in order to remove the sling, which can be very difficult and in fact painful to the patient using the sling. Finally, many of the prior art slings are made of cloth, which is unable to be easily modified in size and shape requiring large inventory of sizes to accommodate patients of various sizes and shapes.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an arm sling and elevator which can be used for supporting an injured arm of a patient which is simple to use and easily adjusted.
Another object is to provide an arm sling and elevator which can assume either of the sling or elevated positions without removal by the patient.
Another object is to provide an arm elevator and sling which has a strap which is easily adjustable in length.
Another object is to provide an arm elevator and sling which is easily adjustable in size, such as by simple cutting, so as to reduce the overall inventory necessary and to provide a device which will not unravel on a cut edge.
Another object is to provide an arm elevator and sling which has an easily removable strap so as to be able to remove the device with little pain or exertion.
The foregoing objects are attained by providing a combined arm elevator and sling comprising a substantially L-shaped, flexible envelope for receiving the lower portion of an arm; the envelope being closed along the bottom and open at the top; a shoulder strap for supporting the envelope; a first assembly for coupling the rear end of the strap to the envelope adjacent the rear end thereof; and a second assembly for coupling the forward end of the strap to the envelope in a variable position extending from the forward end thereof rearwards toward the rear end thereof.
At least a portion of the outer surface of the envelope has looped-fabric thereon and the second assembly for coupling the forward end of the strap to the envelope includes looped-fabric engaging hooks so that the strap can be releasably coupled to the envelope in a variable position. By merely moving the coupling location of the second assembly to the envelope, the patient can change from the horizontal sling position to the diagonal sling position. Since this coupling is located towards the front or forward end of the envelope, the arm is securely located in the envelope and the envelope and arm do not tend to rotate back into the horizontal sling position. When it is desired to place the arm in the elevated position, the strap is disengaged from the first assembly and is formed into a relatively large loop of adjustable size which can be hooked over a separate support mounted or standing near a chair, bed or the like. This is accomplished by attaching both ends of the strap to the second assembly or by looping the strap back upon itself. In the case of most patients, this conversion can be accomplished unassisted by the patient using the structure of the present invention.
The shoulder strap is formed with an outside surface of looped-fabric and has two portions at opposite ends of looped-fabric engaging hooks, which allows the length of the strap to be readily changed with one hand.
The envelope is preferably formed mainly of foamed material which can be cut to the desired shape and size to fit the patient, without requiring a large inventory supply. Similarly, the foamed material will not unravel at the cut edge.
Both of the forward and rear coupling assemblies of the strap to the envelope are easily released, since they include the looped-fabric and looped-fabric engaging hooks, so that it is not necessary to lift the strap of the device over the head of the patient to remove the device. Rather, these couplings, either of them, can be released and the device simply removed from the patient.
Other objects, advantages and salient features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the present invention.